There are social and legislative pressures and requirements to provide information and guidance in braille to the blind braille reader so that such braille reader can be guided to access not only to areas such as rest rooms but also guided by instructions to operate devices such as elevators, vending machines and ATMs.
With respect to ATMs in the United States, the American with Disabilities Act requires, inter alia, that instructions and all information for use of an ATM be made accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision impairment.
In some cases, such information is given audibly using sophisticated transmitting and receiving equipment such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,901.
In many instances, braille signage is provided in the form of cast metal plates or other plate material which has been suitably etched, machined or welded to provide the necessary information and guidance to the braille reader. Such signage, however, is relatively expensive and has a size such that it is not adapted to fit into and be secured to small areas.
In other cases, the buttons of an ATM are identified by braille.
To date, however, there is no signage available providing information for the blind which is low cost, yet rugged, can be configured in any shape or size can be produced to fit into limited size areas, and can be quickly and easily mounted or installed in position.
Further, there is no such signage that can combine information for the sighted as well as information for the blind.
Still further, there is no such signage that can be produced to provide sets of related pieces of information including related pieces of information for the blind and the sighted for applying to different parts or areas of a device and, in particular, to different parts or areas of an ATM.